It’s a few days before the deadline, but I’m concerned the Canucks are going to get caught once again overvaluing their player, which would cripple a Kesler trade.

They don’t only have a list of players they want on their spread sheet, but a list of packages.

Steep stuff. As in the usual player-prospect-pick combo for a player like Kesler is just “for starters.”

If I close my eyes and concentrate on next week I can faintly hear them saying there isn’t a rush, while talking up the draft and pointing to an increasing salary cap as a reason a deal could be easier then.

That would be the wrong road to travel.

There is great momentum with Kesler right now. The Kesler trade story going viral is the best thing that could have happened, and seems to have created a substantial market.

Kesler isn’t too picky on destinations. He’s the most prized player available and second isn’t close. It’s the time of year general managers from buying teams make their biggest mistakes.

Now is the time. It makes too much sense. We all know this.

BEST HOPE

TG, or the Trade Goatee, gets it done

BEST WTF

Torts said he was excited! Excited about the Canucks structure! Exciting stuff, indeed, even after a 2-1 loss.

So what did Roberto Luongo think when John Tortorella said he was cheering for Team Sweden and didn’t give a shit about Team Canada?

“He must have been on pain meds from his shoulder surgery.”

BEST BAN

A Canuck: “We can’t say the ‘C’ word.”

And that “C” word would be “confidence.”

Guess you have to score three goals to get permission for that one.

BEST MAKES YA THINK

I know a lot of people think Ryan Kesler would not waive his NTC to go to New York to play for AV, and the reasoning is valid.

He was so often infuriated with the coach who once claimed a serious Kesler shoulder injury wasn’t so serious and not an issue with his diminished production. Also, of all things, AV openly questioned the centre for taking too long in coming back from an injury.

I could go on. And on.

So, there’s a laundry list of issues, and it makes sense people think Kesler would rather fight Aaron Hernandez in a prison mess hall than re-visit life with Mr. Gant.

They’re likely correct. But…

But what coach is not going to make Kesler embittered?

It’s just wrapped up in his DNA. I don’t see him eskimo kissing for long with anyone in a position of authority.

The one thing AV does do is, mostly, is leave his players alone.

And there may not be anything in life that makes Kesler happier than being left alone.

BEST INVESTIGATION

Bruce Arthur: Kesler was in a bar telling people he wanted out of Vancouver, he was naming teams he wanted to go to

One of the more fascinating parts of my day was launching this Eugene Melnyk-ish investigation, attempting to piece together the Kesler drama that seemed to root in Sochi last week.

As the story goes, Kesler was at a bar Saturday night after the bronze medal loss. There were only a couple of bar options there, as explained to me, and they were outside the Olympic zone, one in Sochi and the other in Adler.

People at the bar heard Kesler talking and passed on the information to Arthur who was not there.

I was told those people were journalists.

Not something Arthur was willing to confirm, but that’s my strong working theory and I’m going with it.

Reporters who heard Kesler in a Sochi bar saying he wanted out of Vancouver should come forward. Let me know, I'll do a roll call

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